by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
A lot of progress has been made on the construction of the new County Courthouse since April 8, the last time the Daily Record was on the Downtown site. Friday, City Council Vice President Jack Webb, who will be sworn in as Council president June 30, went on a guided tour led by a group that included representatives from KBJ Architects, the building’s designers, and Turner Construction Co.
Dave Schneider, the City’s Better Jacksonville Plan project manager, said the project is 47 percent complete and the last pouring of structural concrete took place June 8. The job is on schedule, if not ahead of schedule.
“We had a very dry May,” said Schneider. “Last year we had one of the wettest Mays on record. That made it hard to get the job started,”
With all the structural elements in place, the outside of the seven-story building is being installed as precast concrete components are secured to the framework.
“It’s a very durable design, a forever building,” said KBJ Architects Principal Thomas Rensing. “America is known for planned obsolescence. This isn’t one of those things.”
Schneider said the courthouse will be fully enclosed next spring. Work then will begin on the inside, from installation of electrical and plumbing fixtures and heating and air conditioning to wall and floor coverings and finally, delivery of the furniture, followed by the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The building is scheduled to be completed in May 2012.
“As incoming City Council president, I wanted to see what’s going on with the largest capital project in Jacksonville’s history,” said Webb “As an attorney, I wanted to check out my new work site.”
City Council President-elect Jack Webb and Dave Schneider, the City’s Better Jacksonville Plan project manager.
The interior of this, one of 51 courtrooms, is taking shape.
Precast concrete structural elements are assembled like a puzzle.
The east side of the building is being completed.
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